ICFF New York Design Week 2017

24 MAY 2017 11:45 JAVITS CENTRE

Description: Rona Meyuchas-Koblenz will present a discussion panel called Designers in the Middle. The discussion examines the unique experiences of designing in or from the Middle East. A panel including Khalid Shafar and Taher Asad-Bakhtiari looks at how the region’s craft, heritage, daily life, and political and industrial reality affect the work and lives of its designers. Chaired by Jerry Helling.

Moderator: Jerry Helling - President Bernhardt Design

Panelists:

Rona Meyuchas-Koblenz – Founder & Creative director, Kukka

Khalid Shafar – Founder & Designer

Taher Asad-Bakhtiari – Artist, The Tribal Weave Project

I was always curious to explore different design cultures - Local and traditional crafts are the backbone of the design industry and it has a strong social impact on our lives.I grew up in one of the smallest countries in the world positioned in the most interesting regions; the Middle East.Boundaries and walls were not designed for designers and makers. Unfortunately – there are. Not just physically but also, politically shading.In the Middle East, there is a rich culture of arts and crafts however, unlike other regions, these are not easily accessible among neighbouring countries; Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Iran..I am a citizen of the world and I work internationally; I am a great believer in cosmopolitanism, I often find myself stimulated by day to day behaviours and habits, people – stimulate me the most and my work’s nutrition are local craft, heritage and manufacturing techniques.Designers in the Middle initiated as a concept back in 2008 when I moved to the Middle East and was offered to write about the local design scene for a design and architecture magazine. my "local" interest was in the region and so I approached different designers from Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, Palestine and Israel. The article was never published (you can imagine why) but the research continued and my interest in design coming from the region grew. in September 2016 I was invited to present “Designers in the Middle” as part of the London Design Museum talks programme during London Design festival, Suzanne Trocme’ joined me as a moderator and together with two panelists we presented the first "Designers in the Middle"

I approach Designers in the middle from two angles that interest me the most: 1/ Designers operating in and from the Middle East 2/ designers find themselves in the middle between the manufacturing and the political constrains.The content of "Designers in the Middle" is not political at all and that is also one of the reasons the "East" word after the "Middle" is not mentioned. What interest me is to bring out the person/designer behind its work. I am hoping you will find the beauty behind it.

Rona Meyuchas-KoblenzFounder, Designers in the Middlewww.kukkastudio.co.uk